50 States in 50 Years Nos. 2 - 3 - 4

Montana No. 4

Wyoming No. 3

Idaho No. 2

Idaho and Montana. Two of these last three states are what  I call 'through' states. I went through them on the way from or to somewhere else. There is not much to say about either of them: except, I can count them as part of the quest. 

Going through Montana I felt I was at the top of the world. The sky seemed endless to me. There was nothing along the horizon except the curve of the earth. 

In 1977 we were on the way to Yellowstone and swung through Billings, Montana, to say we had been there. 

We took a day to drive through Yellowstone. 

We did not see one animal, but were lucky enough to see Old Faithful let off steam.

and get a picture of the upper falls. From there we went to Jackson Hole along the Tetons on the way to Salt Lake City. 

Bear Lake Idaho 1977

The only landmark in Idaho that was memorable was the sight of  Bear Lake along State Highway 89 in the southeast corner of the state.

Wyoming counts as a 'been to' state.  On the 1977 trip we stopped in Jackson Hole for the night. In 2015 we had a full 'stay for a while' trip. Our starting place was Estes Park, Colorado. From there we went up through Cheyenne and Laramie on the way to Jackson Hole. What an adventure! The Tetons are always an awesome sight to see. We stayed downtown in a quaint period motel right off the square. We love that we can walk to sight-see, shop for souvenirs, and eat. We took a day trip to investigate the mountains. We did not go as far as Yellowstone this time. A photo blog of the highlights of our trip follows:

The Episcopal Chapel of Transfiguration

Window inside the church
looks out on the mountains.

Our Wyoming trip ended too soon and we were on our way back to Estes Park to say goodbye to our family and head back home to Arkansas. 

Good memories were made!

*For "new to my blog" friends...on May 17, 2010, I visited Wisconsin.

I can now say that I have been in, to, or through all 50 United States.

I am committed to make an Artist Trading Card "ATC" for each of

the 50 States. 

50 States in 50 Years Nos. 5 and 6*

I checked Washington and Oregon off my list in 1971. They were at the end of a trip that began in Southern California. I had no idea at time that I would even entertain the idea of visiting all 50 States in my life time.










We landed at LAX and ventured up the coast with stops at Moro Bay, Solvang, Hearst Castle, and San Francisco before crossing the border at Grants Pass, Oregon, where we spent the night before heading to Seattle, Washington to visit relatives. 

City Center Motel on N.E. Sixth St., Grants Pass

The scenery along the Oregon Highway
was spectacular. It is still in my mind
after 47 years. Some of the areas
reminded me of Arkansas.

Our stay in Seattle lasted about week. It rained every day except on Wednesday. Our relatives tried to convince us that was not the norm.  

We were not there when it was snowing;
it was raining. This picture came from a
tourist card packet.

Ate some wonderful fresh salmon; went to the 

University of Washington

to get a view of Mt. Rainier

Salmon fresh
from Fish Market

in the rain;

and took a side trip to Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, by ferry in the rain;

and best of all went to the top

of the Space Needle even

though I am really, 

really afraid of heights. 

The only sunny day we went
to some woods where our relatives had a cabin. At least we had one day of sun.

I remember the long trip along the coast of California and reading Atlas Shrugged  by Ayn Rand from beginning to end while we were on the road.  When I got out of the car I passed out and missed our first Salmon meal. The trip back to LAX was not memorable. We took the inland highway. My only memory was stopping to eat lunch in Yreka, California. 

Wonderful trip...excluding my passing out the first minute I set foot on solid ground after riding and reading in the back seat of the car.

*For "new to my blog" friends...on May 17, 2010, I visited Wisconsin.

I can now say that I have been in, to, or through all 50 United States.

I am committed to make an Artist Trading Card "ATC" for each of

the 50 States. 

50 States in 50 Years Nos. 12-9

No. 12 Minnesota with a side trip to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
No. 11 North Dakota
No. 10 Iowa
No.  9 Nebraska

I added these state to my list on a trip to Minnesota in 1970. I could find very few pictures from 1970 and this trip. 

We started in Arkansas, went through Kansas and made a stop in Omaha for a few days. One day we spent at the Mormon Trail Center at Historic Winter Quarters. To be honest I do not remember how they looked in 1970. All I remember is going into a building and signing a guest book. Then, we ventured over to Lincoln one day and took pictures at the Capitol Building. I took them from the top of the building. That was before my fear of heights had kicked in big time. I wouldn't be able to do that now. Note: Nebraska is very windy.

On the road again with one stop in Sioux City, Iowa, to fix a flat tire and on to Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. There were several sides trips from this base. One trip was to Itasca State Park in Bimidji where I waded across the Mississippi River.  It is at the headwaters of the river. Next, we took a quick trip over the border to Fargo, North Dakota.

I was a little further inland as I remember.
I didn't have to walk far, but I did have to
walk across the rocks.

The highlight side trip was to Winnipeg. 
We spent the night and did a little shopping.
I still have the ring I bought as a souvenir.










This trip was almost at the beginning of my '50-State Odyssey'. Who knew at that time that I would be able to say I have been in and out or to all 50 states. Glad we thought to go to Fargo.

DAY TRIPPIN' THROUGH DAFFODILS

We decided this year to get out of 'Dodge'* every once and a while. This weekend was the '25th Annual Daffodil Festival' in Camden, Arkansas, USA. It is about two hours from us. We could get there; look at the daffodils; and be back home before dark. We had planned to get there by noon and eat at the Postmasters Grill, but it didn't open until 5pm. Plan B: walk around until we found a place and menu we liked. 

                                                                 

Just off Main Street we found 

What's Cookin'. Delicious hamburger! for me and a fish po-boy for Chuck. I picked best! 

The owner of the restaurant was a collector of everything Grapette.

I grew up in Shreveport, Louisiana, drinking Grapette, a grape drink bottled in Camden. Grapette's headquarters is now located in Malvern, Arkansas.

Now it was time to find the daffodils. That was easier said than done. The daffodil locations were a few miles out of town. As 'Amanda' (another story) at the Information Center said, "They're in the country." ...and they were. We could have taken a shuttle, but we prefer to be in control of our time. We elected to drive to only one venue, Grace Hill. 

Koi Pond

Daffodils in back of Koi Pond

There were a lot of daffodils as we drove in. Those had been planted long before the house was built. In the back there were plantings of different varieties that will spread over the years. Grace Hill was completed in 1992 and is a copy of the George Wythe house in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, circa 1750. 

Time to head home to my own tribute to the daffodil. 

It was nice day and we are already planning our next day trip.

*Hot Springs Village

(another story) We got to visiting with Amanda and found we knew some of the same people in Camden. Also, they were practically our neighbors in Little Rock before they moved to Camden. I also started talking to another lady and found out that we had worked at the same bank in Little Rock many years ago. Proves again-It's a small world. 

Our Adventure in the Land of 'AR'

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW
2015 Summer Tour
LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS
JULY 25, 2015

We got two
one for me
one for Chuck

It all began when a friend gave me a link to submit my name of the lottery for Little Rock 'Antiques Roadshow' tickets.  There were only (I repeat, only) 5,000 tickets available.  How could I resist.  I had tried once when they came to Little Rock several years ago, but alas, no cigar. I could only register once and they would let me know on April 28 if I had my tickets.  Yea!  

Now it was time to decide what to take. We mulled over ideas. We approached it as a 'need to know about' more than 'is this going to make us rich'? basis. Chuck decided to take two guns, a shot gun and a 22 that belonged to his Dad...yes, that is what is in the 'black' bag.  I had to hold them while he took the picture.

I knew all along that I would take an original pen and ink drawing by Blue Eagle.  It was given to my Mom in 1933 as a Christmas present from the head librarian where she worked.  I had researched it and found some information about Acee Blue Eagle, but wasn't sure if this was the same Blue Eagle.  The other I item I decided to take was a stacked cloisonne pill box that I acquired somewhere in my 'flea market' days. It had Chinese markings, but I wanted to know more about it. My items are in the small blue bag on my arm.

With the 'Black' Bag

The 'BIG' Day arrived. We left Hot Springs Village about 9:00 am and arrived a the Little Rock Convention Center at 10:30am.  From then on , it was an exercise in standing in one line after another. We wove in and out...reminded us a lot of Disney World.  We stood in line to show our tickets.  Then, we stood in line to get the category assignment for our items.  Then, when we finally found the line for our category, we stood in line some more.  

Chuck and I split up after waiting the 'Arms and Militia' (it was the shortest line) for several minutes only to have the appraiser leave to go film a segment for the show.  He got to go to another appraiser while he was waiting for this one to come back. (They did give him the right to break ahead of the line.)

My longest line was the 'Tribal Arts' line.  I waited maybe about 30 to 45 minutes before I saw my Appraiser, Bruce M. Shackleford, San Antonio, Texas.  Yes, it was a drawing by Acee Blue Eagle and was worth several hundred dollars. By the time I had my appraisal of my 'Blue Eagle' drawing the 'Asian Arts' (for the pill box) had shrunk considerably.  

I waited only about 10 or 15 minutes, to see my Appraiser, Lark E. Mason.  My pill box was Chinese and made around 1920.  He thought is was well done and 'cute', his word, and worth $50.

I have seen both appraisers on TV segments of the Roadshow.  Perhaps, you might recognize them.*  

About this time Chuck showed up.  He was 'done'...stick a fork in him.  He had lugged those guns around for three hours. It was not a pretty picture.  Then, we were both 'done'! All in all we spent about three hours at the Convention Center.  It seemed like forever, but the Adventure was worth it. Now we can hardly wait until we can see the 'Little Rock' event on TV next Fall and can say "We Were There"!

*(Don't tell anyone, but I wasn't supposed to take pictures while in the 'set' area. (Guess who didn't read any signs?:)  I did ask their permission. I wasn't caught until after Lark Mason, but by that time we were on our way out.) 

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